ICC Champions Trophy 2013: Nielsen laments lack of Australia 'leaders'

Former Australia coach Tim Nielsen said today the current side were suffering from a lack of leaders.

Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign, which has seen the title-holders struggle on the field, has been overshadowed by the ban handed out to batsman David Warner for his Birmingham bar-room attack on England’s Joe Root.

Warner was suspended until the start of the Ashes by Cricket Australia on Thursday and fined Aus$11,500 ($11,000, £7,000).

Nielsen coached Australia from 2007 to 2011 and could call on the likes of senior players such as star batsman Ricky Ponting, now retired from international duty and playing for English county Surrey.

“Probably the biggest difference between a lot of great sides is that strength of leadership of your players,” Nielsen told BBC Radio Five’s Sportsweek programme on Sunday.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean they have to have captain next to their name. They (experienced, senior players) expect behaviour and they understand what is expected of them, just through experience.

“If they see young players jumping out of line they quietly and quickly jump in to ensure they straighten them up.

“That’s maybe one of the tough things for this side at the moment. They don’t have a lot of natural leadership around the group, apart from the actual nominated blokes who have got captain and vice-captain written next to their names,” the 45-year-old former South Australia wicket-keeper added.

Ponting retired from Australia duty last year and has ruled himself out of returning for the next Ashes series, which starts with the first Test at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground on July 10, even as an injury replacement.

Nielsen said Ponting would bolster the strength of Australia’s leadership group but does not expect him to reverse his decision.

“There is no doubt he would help in that regard, having those sort of players around certainly helps,” he said.

“It’s easy to say from the outside he would be a good leader of the group and I’m sure he would be, but if his heart’s not 100 percent in it it’s probably too much to ask of him as well.”

Meanwhile current Australia coach Mickey Arthur agreed it would be a risk to select Warner for the first Test given the 26-year-old’s suspension means he won’t play any competitive cricket between now and then.

“He wouldn’t have had a lot of cricket, he will have had a lot training, mind you, but no cricket,” Arthur told reporters at The Oval on Saturday ahead of Australia’s must-win Champions Trophy Group A match against Sri Lanka on Monday.

“We’ve got plans to give him some centre-wicket practice etc, but it would be (a risk to play him in the first Test) and I guess it’s a chance for the other batsmen in the squad to step up in the first two practice games.

“Because if they do that, they’re likely start in the first Ashes Test,” the South African added.

“We’ve got to give David the best possible chance, the best possible preparation to be ready for the first Test match if we select him.

“He’s now gone from the white ball to the red ball, so he’s working daily on that.”

Australia’s squad contains several other openers in addition to Warner in Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Phil Hughes, and Ed Cowan.